What Does "Green Goddess" Really Mean?

The herby dressing's name has a theatrical history.

Author:: Janet Taylor McCracken
Publish date:: May 18, 2018
Updated on: May 17, 2018

green goddess salad dressing — Photography by Offset

The term "Green Goddess" has become a catchall for emerald-hued salad dressings. But there was an original!

The story goes that in 1923 the actor George Arliss stayed at San Francisco’s Palace Hotel while he was performing in a play called The Green Goddess. The hotel’s chef created the recipe in Arliss’s honor, and a salad star was born.

The classic recipe (still on the Palace’s menu) relies on lots of chopped fresh herbs, plus garlic, mayo, vinegar, and anchovies—yes, anchovies—giving it a full-bodied flavor that makes it great for salads and other stuff. Try it as a dip or a sandwich spread. Or riff around with the herb combo (basil and tarragon work nicely) and make a green goddess you can call your own.